Monthly Archives: August 2017

Posted onAugust 14, 2017|Comments Off on See how we’re creating a sustainable future

We just released our 2017 Corporate Sustainability Reportshowing our progress toward a sustainable future by reducing carbon emissions by 34% since 2005 and increasing investments in renewable energy.

We also cut fossil fuel generation water withdrawals by over 25% since 2005 with plans targeting a reduction of 75 percent by 2030.

“Sustainability means doing the right thing with an eye toward the long run,” said Alliant Energy’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Patricia Kampling. “So our sustainability strategy looks into the future, promoting responsible company growth through the economic, social and environmental decisions we make today.”

We continue to transform our generation profile to meet the future needs of our customers in a sustainable way. Between 2005 and 2018, our company will have permanently retired nearly 1,000 megawatts of coal-fired generation, and we’re planning to add over 1,000 megawatts of new, low-cost wind capacity by 2020.

Cleaner natural gas facilities are also being brought into our resource mix. Wind works hand-in-hand with natural gas generation, which can adjust up and down quickly to provide reliable power as the wind increases or decreases.

In 2016, renewable energy made up 15% of our company’s rated electric capacity. By 2024, that is expected to nearly double as we pursue new investments in wind and other renewable generation.

In addition, the report touches on topics like safety, our workplace, grid reliability, community support and corporate giving. The publication wraps up with a section that includes environmental and other performance data.

Our Iowa energy company is pursuing another major wind investment that will help solidify the state’s national leadership in renewable energy. On August 3, 2017, we filed to get approval from the Iowa Utilities Board to add up to 500 megawatts of wind energy in Iowa. A decision is expected in early 2018.

“The customers and communities we serve will benefit from this cost effective clean energy,” said Doug Kopp, president of Alliant Energy’s Iowa energy company. “Our wind projects will help keep energy costs stable over the long-term for customers.”

We received approval in 2016 for a similar expansion. The combined projects would represent a $1.8 billion investment and add up to 1,000 megawatts of new wind generation in Iowa. That’s enough to power up to 430,000 Iowa homes a year. As a result, wind is expected to be more than one-third of our Iowa energy mix in 2020

“Iowa has seen tremendous benefits from the expansion of the wind energy industry in our state. We appreciate Alliant Energy continuing to invest in wind and other renewable energy sources to power our state,” said Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture.

Alliant Energy’s Iowa energy company (Interstate Power and Light) filed an application for advance rate-making principles on August 3, 2017 (RPU-2017-0002). The key principles requested in the application include:

Cost cap of $1,780/kilowatt, including allowance for funds used during construction (AFUDC) and transmission costs

11.0% return on common equity (ROE)

40 year depreciable life

10% AFUDC ROE used for modeling that allows for the higher of 10% or the 2016 test year base rate review result